Rare vintage Chinese porcelain beads from the 1970's that are a nice substantial 15mm size( about 5/8" ) feature delicate peaches and pink blossoms with tiny green leaves.
The peach tree is an important Chinese symbol for longevity and peaches were quite often painted on such vintage beads to signify this.

There are also 10mm vintage yellow jade beads and four gorgeous vintage paragon agate beads of the same size.
This necklace has been hand knotted by me on silk cord dyed to match the carnelian beads.

► All the stone beads which I use were personally selected by me in Hong Kong during the 1970s-1980s when the standards of cutting were meticulous. Nowadays, stone beads are being cut and imported from India where the labor is cheap, the beads are not always perfectly round, nor do they have an even polish and many times they are not even drilled all the way through .
***********************************************************************************************

► SOME VERY IMPORTANT HISTORY AND INFORMATION :◀
The Communist regime in China began with Mao Tse Tung who instituted something he called " The Cultural Revolution" during the 1960's - 1970's. The effect of this revolution was similar to the destruction of priceless archeological artifacts by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Among the artifacts destroyed in China were countless irreplaceable antique porcelain objects such as vases and plates.

These broken pottery fragments were saved by the Chinese at the end of the "Cultural Revolution", and the beginning of the new Chinese political era (during the 1980's) . These broken pottery "shards" were salvaged and reworked or recycled into art objects ranging from pendant size as you see here to table top ornaments. You are actually purchasing fragments of broken teapots, dishes or bowls.These are genuine ANTIQUES.

Blue and white porcelain shards are from the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) and the multi colored shards are from the Ch'ing Dynasty( 1644–1911/12 )

◉ Almost all the shards you will find on the internet are newer and are NOT of people but BRIGHT fragments of pottery that are FLORAL in nature. Harder to find are the figural pieces representing scholars, dancers, men and women in kimonos, people in gardens and musicians.
An antique shard such as this one - of a human figure - is near to impossible to find nowadays!

◉ PLEASE NOTE: The limited quantity of TRUE ANTIQUE shards prompted modern factories to manufacture imitations. The new shards looks similar but there are subtle differences vs. the true antiques. Chinese artisans in recent years have rescued much of this broken material, shaped the broken pieces ("shards") with smooth edges, and wrapped the fragments in a silver alloy for strength and security.
Most are fashioned as jewelry pendants with metal wire-wrapped edges.

◉ Many of the very inexpensive shards for sale online are CURRENTLY being painted on old pottery and then exported. Be sure of what you are purchasing and never be afraid to ask for documentation proving the authenticity.
Porcelain has been made in China for centuries. Much of it is so distinctive that its period of origin can be determined by typical characteristics of color and images.

***All the shards that I incorporate into my necklaces are truly genuine antiques and we have the certificates of authenticity from the Chinese government to prove it.
Joel was in Hong Kong multiple times during the 1980's and insisted on obtaining certificates of authenticity - you will receive one with this necklace ***
************************************************************************
This necklace has been finished with a sterling silver plated lobster clasp for security and measures approximately 18" long.
The shard is 1 1/2" long by 1 1/4" wide.

◉ I also sell these vintage embroidered silk brocade purses - available in 3 different sizes - in my other Etsy vintage supply shop - EurekaEureka.etsy.com

https://www.etsy.com/listing/259798935/silk-purses-chinese-vintage-elegant
https://www.etsy.com/listing/254241700/silk-purses-chinese-vintage-elegant
https://www.etsy.com/listing/258465142/silk-purses-chinese-vintage-elegant
*****Shipping costs include insurance within the U.S. and International ****

Product Attributes

Color: Black

Accepted Payments

Shipping

All Other CountriesFirst Item: $6.50Additional Items: $0.50

United StatesFirst Item: $3.50Additional Items: $0.30

Policies

We try to ship (First class) within 72 hours of receiving payment. Insurance will add a bit more depending on the value of your purchase.Our products ship first class mail and Priority Mail in the USA and First Class international.
If the customer wishes to have tracking and insurance for international orders,the package must be shipped either Express or Priority mail. Please contact us for such estimated shipping costs.
We cannot be responsible for shipments lost in transit unless insured by the customer.

**We automatically insure DOMESTIC packages if they're $100 or more! All such packages have a tracking number and normally ship USPS First Class *** Priority mail is $7.50 FOR UP TO 1 lb. of merchandise.
For international shipping of higher value items, please contact us for a shipping quotation.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: POSTAGE RATES HAVE RISEN DRAMATICALLY IN 2016
ORDERS INSIDE USA: A charge of $3.60 covers any first class shipment up to 8 ounces. Our beads vary so much in weight that it is impossible for us to apply a single add-on charge for multiple product orders. We will continue to refund to customers any amount that greatly exceeds our actual cost of shipping and handling.
ORDERS OUTSIDE USA: International First Class rates are now crazy: $13.50 for any package weighing from 1-8 ounces. Even an order for 2-3 small bead items may cost $13.50 or more, depending on the type of material (stone versus resin, for example). Please bear with us for a few weeks while we change our listings to account for the new rates. We apologize in advance if we have to adjust the postage cost of an order that has been placed. We will understand if an order is rescinded when the postage cost is too high relative to the product value.

All international orders have contents described as "loose beads" and are flagged as "commercial samples" or " gift" if you prefer to make your life easier when receiving your beads. If you'd like us to mark your order as " gift" instead please let us know!

All our beads are inspected one by one before being shipped. They are individually wrapped to protect them and then put in little plastic ziploc bags.

All vintage beaded jewelry is either shipped in a little gift box tied with a ribbon or in a vintage Chinese embroidered silk purse.

If you ever have a problem with a damaged bead or jewelry, don't hesitate to contact us. We are only human, and with so many orders going out on a daily basis, there is always room for error. We will replace your order (assuming we have more in stock), issue you a store credit, or give you a full refund if the item is returned in the same condition as it was shipped within 7 days of receiving your order if you are not fully satisfied. You must notify us as soon as you receive your order if there is a problem.
We want you to be 100% thrilled with your purchases!

We value each and every customer and are delighted that you have chosen to shop in our store! Customer relations are extremely important to us and we pride ourselves on the authenticity of what we sell, how we package it, and being accessible to all of you should a question or a problem ever arise.